Old Sweetwater

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Some years our tree has been all frou-frou, as in my (now old) ballet toe shoes and angels hanging from the branches, but most years I do a more natural look, even when tree's theme color was blue or white. When I lived in the South, my favorite things to put in the tree were from our yard: pine cones, large dried hydrangeas, late-blooming roses, magnolia leaves, red nandina leaves, peeling river birch bark, and my very favorite were large branches of dried Italian Basil! Dried basil smells divine -- very peppery. I also like the idea of putting the "decorations" on the compost pile after Christmas. Talk about easy clean-up!A few years ago I bought 18 of these lichen ornaments. They're died red and have a velvet look. Are you a "natural" or "frou-frou" tree trimmer?

20 comments:

Hi Janean,I love the natural look tree. Most of my life I have been "traditional" in that I always put the children's special balls/ornaments on from prior years, my mom's needlework ornaments and the special ornaments Terry and I started when we married 15 years ago. Mom passed away last March and this year being the first year without both my parents (am only child) cause me to feel sad starting to do the "traditional" tree. So this year I did the "icy" look which for me in Florida has been wonderful. Tiny white lights, glass icicles, all white glass ball with either silver or gold snowflakes and glitery white snowflakes. We have a Thomas Kinkade Painting we bought for each other after my husband survived kidney cancer back in 1998 and we put that on our fireplace mantel. I love the look and it does make me feel "chilly" even when temperature have been in the 70's and hardly Christmasy at all.I love the dried lichen on your tree. Don't think I ever saw or noticed dried lichen before. Very interesting with the velvet texture you mentioned. Been having computer issues, so hopefully today I can finally do a Christmas posting. Have a blessed holiday.

Hi, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your lovely comment! At the moment I am most definitely a frou-frou tree decorator, but not at heart. I am slowly collecting more natural ornaments, but I think there will always be some sparkle going on! My little girls love the bright, shiny baubles!:)

I guess ours is more 'in between'. Very traditional with colored and white lights, lots of ornaments collected over the years. For a few years I had the 'beaded' fruit ornaments and a lot of chandelier crystal, so that's about as frou frou as I got. Have a great day! Becky

I love both looks. The both say Christmas to me. However, my tree is decorated in the ornaments that we have given our children throughout the years. Once they are married and we give them their ornaments, I'll probably go with a fancy schmancy tree. I'm usually a plain Jane, but at Christmas-that's the time for over-the-top, just my opinion!

I use ornaments from the past on my tree. I keep putting the ones that have a special meaning to me.This year however I just put up a very small one since we will be going to my sons for Christmas.I hope that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year.God bless

I love the look of your 'natural' tree. Our tree looks pretty much the same from one year to the next - ornaments collected when we lived overseas, things made when our children were small, some treasures from my parents' tree - all familiar and greeted with great interest as they come out of the box on tree-trimming night.

Well, don't know how it happened, but missed several of your posts. Been busy with Christmas prep I guess. Loved your Joy and Snowman ornaments and yes I love Cracker Barrel too. Just went to my first in Kentucky last summer and then when hubby and I were in Tuscon in August we found one. Love their store and food.Your tree with all the natural "findings" from your yard is my kinda tree. I have had many different one throughout the years. Very homey and handmade when my kids were young, all we could afford. My husband prefers glittzy and shinny, so we have done that....all blue and white a couple of years. I did an all apple tree one year. But for the last few years, I have done my peppermint tree for the grandkids. They love it and it has that shinny glittering look my hubby loves.

Hi Janean!Delighted you popped over to Bainbridge.You mentioned when you used to live in the South...have you moved away from the South?I adorn my tree with all things vintage!Waiting on my hubby to fix the lights so I can decorate!XXOOXX

Oh your tree is just gorgeous. My tree is groaning under handmade beauties my little boys have made. I think that tradition will continue forever, for me. I am too sentimental over my boys and creating the happy nuclear family environment I never had! A-M xx

Thanks for your sweet comments on my blog:) I had to laugh when I read this post because we are still in the "kid" decorating mode! The ornaments get as high as each child can reach, the tree isn't the prettiest, and the ribbon is askew. But, the memories made are worth more than how pretty the tree looks. Merry Christmas!